Israel's Ambassador Ends Term by Endorsing Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing of Armenians

As Israeli Ambassador George Deek wrapped up his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan, he gave a press conference filled with controversial praise for Baku and strange jabs at Armenia — including his celebration of a visit to the Armenian city of Shushi, which Azerbaijan illegally occupied during the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Deek, who has served in Azerbaijan since 2019, framed Israel’s growing partnership with Baku as a model of regional power and cooperation. But his repeated comparison of Azerbaijan’s geopolitical situation to Israel’s “tough neighborhood” seemed to target Armenia, the only neighboring country currently in conflict with Azerbaijan. While trying to liken Baku’s situation to Tel Aviv’s, Deek appeared to ignore Azerbaijan’s own aggression and war crimes committed against the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Israel has long been one of Azerbaijan’s closest military and economic partners, providing advanced weaponry, surveillance technology, and drones used during Baku’s deadly assaults on Armenian civilians and infrastructure in both Armenia and Artsakh. During the 2020 war, Israeli-made Harop and Hermes drones played a major role in the ethnic cleansing of the local Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh. Israel’s arms sales to Azerbaijan — which reached hundreds of millions of dollars annually — have been described by international observers as enabling the destruction of Armenian villages and the displacement of over 120,000 Armenians.

The Azerbaijan-Israel partnership is built on a mix of economic and strategic interests. Baku supplies Israel with nearly 40% of its crude oil, transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, while Israel provides high-tech weaponry and security expertise to Azerbaijan. The alliance has deepened in recent years, particularly as both countries seek to counter Iran’s influence in the region. Azerbaijan’s geographic location along Iran’s northern border makes it an appealing ally for Israel’s regional strategy.

Israel opened an embassy in Baku in 2023, while Azerbaijan inaugurated its first embassy in Tel Aviv the same year — a big move that solidified their ties. Both governments often frame their relationship as one based on shared "security needs," but critics point out that Israel has ignored Baku’s authoritarian policies, human rights abuses, and systematic destruction of Armenian heritage sites in Artsakh.

At the press conference, Deek proudly announced that he was “the first Israeli ambassador to visit Shusha,” using the Azerbaijani name for Shushi — a historically Armenian city that was captured through military force. For Armenians, Shushi is not a tourist destination or trophy, but a symbol of loss, occupation, and cultural erasure. Its churches have been vandalized, ancient khachkars (cross-stones) destroyed, and Armenian residents permanently displaced.

Rather than expressing concern for the people who were forced to flee or the sacred sites that were damaged, the ambassador focused on boosting Israeli tourism to Azerbaijan and promoting business opportunities in the occupied territories. Deek said Israeli companies are expected to participate in Azerbaijan’s so-called “reconstruction projects” in Nagorno-Karabakh — developments taking place on stolen land, with no justice or return for the Armenian families who lived there for centuries.

Over the past decade, Israel has sold Azerbaijan state-of-the-art drones, missile systems, and other military technologies that were deployed against Armenians in both the 2020 war and Azerbaijan’s 2023 attack on Artsakh, which resulted in the mass exodus of the region’s Armenian population. These weapons have given Baku a decisive military advantage, allowing it to pursue a policy of intimidation and ethnic cleansing with little international pushback.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s oil exports have become a critical energy source for Israel, particularly during regional instability. This transactional relationship has grown so strong that neither side addresses the moral implications of their cooperation — especially when it involves the suffering of the Armenian people.

By openly endorsing Azerbaijan’s occupation of Artsakh, Israel has positioned itself as an enabler of historical erasure and ethnic cleansing. Deek’s visit to Shushi is not just a diplomatic gesture; it is a clear attempt to legitimize Azerbaijan’s illegal actions and normalize its aggression. This growing partnership — based on oil, arms, and strategic positioning — comes at the direct expense of Armenia’s security and the survival of its cultural heritage.

True peace in the South Caucasus cannot be built on weapons deals, propaganda, and the erasure of indigenous populations. Armenia and Artsakh’s future depends on global recognition of these injustices and accountability for the states that enable them.

Israel’s unwavering support for Azerbaijan — from arms sales to public endorsements of its illegal occupation of Armenian lands — does not contribute to peace or stability in the South Caucasus. On the contrary, it empowers a regime that has systematically used violence, starvation, and military force to erase the Armenian presence in Artsakh.

The partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan is not based on shared democratic values or human rights. It is driven by oil, weapons, and geopolitical convenience — with little regard for the human cost. By turning a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s war crimes and cultural destruction, Israel has positioned itself on the wrong side of history.

This alliance has real consequences. It encourages further aggression against Armenia, undermines efforts for a just and lasting peace, and legitimizes the ethnic cleansing of an entire indigenous population. When foreign ambassadors like George Deek celebrate visits to occupied cities and promote tourism on stolen land, they are not promoting friendship — they are promoting impunity.

Anything less is not peace — it's an occupation dressed up in diplomacy.

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